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Dot-com boss on offer at eBay

Graeme Wearden ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 14 Dec 2001 14:02 GMT

The managing director of a UK Web hosting firm is seeking a husband by putting herself up for auction on eBay.

Kay Hammond, aged 24, is looking to marry the successful bidder in early 2002. She claims that marriage is the only ambition she has failed to achieve, and is looking for a minimum bid of £250,000.

The auction began on Thursday evening, and Hammond hadn't attracted a bid at the time of publishing -- but she has until Christmas Eve to capture the man of her dreams. Interested parties must be between 24 and 35, UK resident British citizens and "able to meet basic health requirements."

Hammond, who left school aged 16 with eight GSCEs, describes herself as "blonde-haired and blue-eyed" -- a description born out by the accompanying photograph. However, pictures on her Web site show that she previously sported a distinctly darker-haired look.

Minx magazine reported in July 2000 that Hammond claimed to earn £100,000 a year, and was aiming to have earnt a million by the end of 2000. However, she is reported to have been investing heavily in technology stocks, so she may have suffered from the plunge in high-tech valuations over the last 21 months.

Hammond's move has been described as a "bold publicity stunt", but she appears to be running the risk of ending up with a disappointing spouse. Ebay's rules make it clear that, once Hammond receives a big in excess of her £250,000 reserve price, she is obliged to complete the transaction.

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